Effects of Soil Temperature and Density on Goldenrod Growth in the Stong Pond Grasslands at York University

On Monday October 19th 2015, at approximately 3:30pm to 5:00 pm an experiment including 25 grassland plots around Stong Pond at York University were examined to collect data on soil temperature, density, goldenrod plant number and the number of branches. The weather that day was slightly windy, at a temperature of 16 degrees Celsius. The goal of the team was to assess the effects of the soil temperature and the density on goldenrods at York University. A one by one-meter quadrat was placed around various grassland plots to determine what characteristics would favour plant growth. The measurement started off at the edge of the pond, and moved up toward the road. Each quadrat was placed approximately three large steps upwards, from the last. Density was measured by eye, and estimated to a percentage. The number of individual plants and braches were counted individually by experimenters. The thermometer was placed in the middle of each quadrat and the reading was taken after all the results were noted, leaving it more time to adjust to the correct temperature. The only tools used during the experiment was the quadrat and the soil thermometer. No goldenrods that touched the outside of the quadrat was included in the experiment, only the plants within the quadrat was used in the experiment. This experiment was replicated once more the following week on Monday October 26th 2015, when the weather was cooler at 10 degrees Celsius. The second experiment was an exact copy of the first experiment, where the experimenters measured density, soil temperature, individual plant and branch number, starting from the edge of Stong Pond and finishing off at the opposite edge of the grasslands, near the roads. This experiment was done with the assistance of lab members Danika Gordon, Karen Lin, Israt Hossain and Raman Singh.

2015年10月19日周一约15:30至17:00，研究团队对约克大学（York University）斯通塘（Stong Pond）周边的25个草地样地开展野外实验，采集土壤温度、土壤密度、一枝黄花（goldenrod）植株数量与分枝数相关数据。当日天气微有阵风，气温为16摄氏度。本实验的核心目标为评估土壤温度与土壤密度对约克大学校区范围内一枝黄花生长的影响。研究人员在各草地样地内布设1m×1m的样方（quadrat），以明确利于植物生长的环境特征。测量工作从斯通塘塘边起始，沿朝向道路的方向推进，每布设一个样方，均较上一个样方向上移动约三大步的距离。土壤密度采用目视估测法，以百分比形式进行估算。植株个体数与分枝数由实验人员逐一计数。将土壤温度计放置于每个样方的中央，待完成所有其他观测记录后再读取温度数值，以此让温度计有充足时间适配环境真实温度。本次实验仅使用了样方（quadrat）与土壤温度计两类工具。所有触碰样方边界的一枝黄花均不计入实验统计范围，仅统计样方内部的植株。本实验于一周后的2015年10月26日周一重复开展，当日气温较低，仅为10摄氏度。第二次实验完全复刻了第一次的实验流程，实验人员同样从斯通塘边缘起始，向草地靠近道路的另一端推进，依次测定土壤密度、土壤温度、植株个体数与分枝数。本次实验得到了丹妮卡·戈登（Danika Gordon）、卡伦·林（Karen Lin）、伊斯拉特·侯赛因（Israt Hossain）与拉曼·辛格（Raman Singh）等实验室成员的协助。